Permutation lock



Aug. 16, 1938. c. H. scH'MP' Erl/L PERMUTATION LocK-Y.

Filed July l5, 1937 ATTORNEY WITNESSES Patented Aug. 16, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT GFFICE PERMUTATION LOOK of Wisconsin Application July 15, 1937, Serial No. 153,692

Claims.

The invention relates to locks and more particularly to permutation locks.

An object of the invention is to provide a permutation lock having improved and vsimplified means for placing the lock in locking condition .upon the movement of the lockable member thereof, so as to avoid the possibility of inadvertently leaving the mechanism in releasable condition when the lockable member is returned to its locking position.

Another object of the invention is to provide a permutation lock which is reliable in operation, and which can be inexpensively manufactured and readily assembled.

The invention further consists in the several features hereinafter described and claimed.

An embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing, wherein Fig, 1 is a rear view of a. permutation padlock constructed in accordance with the invention, parts being removed and broken away and parts being shown in section, the permutation mechanism having been adjusted to a position which will permit release of the shackle;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the padlock, taken generally along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional View taken generally along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Flig. 4 is a view generally similar to Fig. 1 but showing the shackle on its opening movement;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but showing the shackle fully withdrawn;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 but showing the shackle returned to its closed and locked position;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a control member of the mechanism;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of an 'actuating member for the control member, and

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a latch plunger.

In the drawing, I5 designates a lock case of any suitable shape, and in the present instance of cylindrical form and comprising a front plate I6 and an embossed rear plate I 1, the former plate being integral with the cylindrical portion of the case. The case I5 has an enclosing cupshaped shell I8, preferably a sheet metal stamping, which fits closely on the case and has 'a front cover plate I9 engaging the front plate I6 of the case. An embossed rear cover plate marginally bears on the rear plate I'I, and both of these plates are secured in place by a flange 2| formed by spinning over the rear edge of the shell I8. Preferably, the front and rear plates I6 and Il are further secured in place by riveted pins or posts 22 and 23, which also secure the front cover plate I9 of the shell to the front plate I6 of the case.

A guide member 25, preferably in the form of a sheet metal stamping, is rigidly secured within the case, and comprises a flat portion 26 which rests on the inner face of the front plate I6 and is secured thereto by the riveted pin 23. Struck up from an end of the flat portion 26 of the member is a flange 21 which extends between the front and rear plates I6 and I'I and is provided with opposite lugs 28 which fit in anchor slots 29 formed in these plates. A round shackleguiding opening 3l] is formed in the flange 21.

A U-shaped shackle 3| has its legs slidably passing through openings 32 formed in the case and shell. The longer leg of the shackle also slidably and rotatably passes through the opening in the guide member 25, and the shorter leg has a beveled end 33 and a locking notch'34y near this end. When the shackle is Withdrawn to its outermost position, the shorter leg clears the shell I8, as seen in Fig. 5, and the shackle is then capable of being swung about its longer leg. The longer leg of the shackle is providedk with a keyway 35 in which slidably lits a guide tongue 36 struck up from the guide member 25. An annular groove 38 is formed about the end portion of the long shackle leg and slidably receives therein a forked guide and stop plate 39t having an angularly extending finger 46 at one side, as best seen in Figs. 1, 3 and 8. The forked plate is confined on the shackle leg by the slidable engagement of an edge of the plate with the flat inner face of the case plate I1, which engagement also guides the shackle leg and prevents rotation of the forked plate with respect to the case. The forked plate is engageable with the flange 2'I of the guide member 25 to limit the outward movement of the shackle, as seen in Fig. 5. When the shackle is in its outer or withdrawn position, it clears the tongue 36 to permit free swinging of the shackle.

A locking lever 4I, forming a locking member, is pivotally mounted on the pin 22 and movablyI carries a spring-pressed latch member, here shown to be in the form of a cylindrical latch plunger 42 slidable in a bore 43 formed in the locking lever at right-angles to the'pin 22. The latch plunger has a beveled nose 44 engageable in the shackle notch 34 to resist Withdrawal of the shackle when the locking member is locked, as hereinafter described. A compressed coiled spring 45 within the locking lever extends within the hollow inner end of the latch plunger and.

urges the latch plunger outwardly. A nat-bottomed slot or recess 46 in one side of the latch plunger receives the pin 22 which thus forms a stop limiting the outward movement of the latch plunger and also prevents relative rotation of the plunger with respect to the locking lever. An arcuate tongueor lip 41 on the locking lever cooperates with tumbler means hereinafter described.

A stud 48 is rigidly secured, as by riveting, to

an embossed portion of the rear case plate 'I1 and projects forwardly through apertured p'ortions of the front plate I6 and front cover' plate I9. The tapered front end of the stud 48 loosely ts in a bore 49 forme-d in an operating knob 56 which is rotatably mounted in the front plate I6. A dished dial plate 5I is carried on the knob against relative rotation, the knob having at its f inner end a cross slot 53 forming a keyway. The rim of the dial p-late is surrounded by an annular bead 54, Fig. 2, which is embossed on the front cover plate I9 of the padlock shell. The dial plate bears the usual indicia, not shown, an-d conceals the riveted front ends of the pins 22 and 23. An'index notch 54', Fig. 2, is formed in the bead 54V to co-operate with the dial indicia.

A driving tumbler or disk 55 is concentric and rigid with the knob 50, as by keying and riveting it on the transversely slotted inner end of the knob, and carries the usual transfer pin or lug 56.

`One`or more additional tumblers or disks, two being shown in the .present instance, are rotata- `ble ony the 'stud 48, and are designated by 51 and :58. These are generally similar except for `the, positions of their transfer lugs 60. The

tumblers are separated by washers 6I which have key projections entering a keyway 62 in the stud -48.. and are placed under friction by a compressed coiled spring 63 surrounding the rear portion of the stud 48'." As seen in Fig. 2, the keyway 62 stops 'shortof the front end of the stud so as yto retain the tumblers and other parts on the :stud Yprior to Atthe attachment to the case of the rear plate I1, this plate and the several parts mounted thereon thus forming an easily handledsubassembly.

'Ihe tumblers 55, 51 and 58 have peripheral slots or notches 64 formed therein to admit the tongue 41 of the locking lever when these slots areproperly positioned and registered, as hereinafter described, thus permitting the locking lever to be swung, 'as seen in Fig. 4, to allow the release or outward` movement of the shackle 3|.

Means are provided for automatically placing the padlock in locking condition upon the move- `ment of the shackle, and includes a shiftably mounted 'control member 65 which acts on the tumbler 58 andthe coil spring 63.

`ing an opening 66, Fig. '1, to receive the stud 48.

The angular movement of the control member orarm is limited, as by providing an extension 61 thereon to engage the locking lever 4I and the post 23 at opposite ends of the angular travel of the arm. The other end of the control arm has '.lockingglever 4I. outwardly'with respect tothe lock case, the

. drawal ofjthe shackle.

an arcuate edge 68 concentric with the pivotal axis of the arm and of substantially the same radius as that of the tumblers, the ends of the arcuate edge being rounded. A lug 69 is bent out from the control arm adjacent the arcuate edge, and its outer face is preferably offset nwar-dly from the arcuate `edge so as` to form a shallow depression or notch 10. The lug 69 lies in the path of outward travel of the finger 48 of the forked plate 39 on the long shackle leg, so "as to cause the control arm to move the tongue 41 of l,the locking lever 4I out of the tumbler notches and to prevent the return of the tongue `into lthese notches, as hereinafter more fully described.

When the padlock is to be opened, the permutation knob 50 is turned alternately in opposite directions to successive predetermined positions, thus rotating the tumblers to bring the notches 'thereof into registered relation, as seen in Fig. 1, #for admitting the vtongue 41 of the locking lever 4 I. The tumbler 58is adjusted rst and is turned l-inrgaff counter-clockwise direction, as viewed in lFigffl, causing the control arm to turn counterclockwiseto the position seen in Fig. 1, by reason i. `ofits* frictional driving engagement with the tumbler, the control arm being stopped in this ivposition by the engagement of the projection 61 with the locking lever.

In this position the control arm will not obstruct the movement of the The shackle is then displaced notched short leg of the shackle turning the locking lever 4I to the position seen in Fig. 4, in which the locking lever tongue enters the tumbler notches.` The shackle is then freed from the -latch plunger 42 Vand can be withdrawn to the outermost position seen in Fig. 5. During the t'out'ward movement of the shackle, the finger 40 on' -the long shackle leg Vengages the lug 69 on vthe control arm 65 and swings this arm, in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 4, a longitudinal edge of the control arm acting camwise and forcing the tongue 41 of the locking lever out of the tumbler notches, thereby restoring the locking lever'to Yitsinormal locking position, as seen in Fig. 5. The lug 69 of the control arm is brought below the tongue 41,thus preventing -this tongue from reentering the tumbler notches, .which latter remain in their registered position.

Whenthe control arm 65 is swung by the-nger 4U, the tumbler 58 does not move with it because of lthe presence of the tongue 41 in the tumbler notches and because of the frictional engagement of the tumbler with the adjacent spacing washer ,1 6I.Theshackle-impelled control arm, being in frictional driving engagement with the tumbler 56,. has a tendency to cause movement of this tumbler out offv unblocking position after the Ytongue 41 leaves the tumbler notches, but whether or not such tumbler movement will occur is dependent on the degree of frictional engagement between the tumbler and the control arm and the speed of the control arm during the with- The outward movement of the shackle is limited by the engagement of the forked plate 39 on the shackle with the flange 21 of the guide member 25. In its outermost position the long leg of the shackle clears the'guide tongue 36 of the guide member 25, thereby permitting the shackle to be swung in either direction about its long leg. When the shackle is thus angularly displaced in either di- `rection,-it can not be moved longitudinally, since theguide tongue 36 is out of register with the keyway 35 in the shackle, thus facilitating the manipulation of the device.

When the padlock is to be locked, the short leg of the shackle is re-entered into the case, the beveled end of the shackle leg forcing the latch plunger 42 into the locking vlever 4|, against the action of the spring 45, and the shackle reaching the locked position seen inFig. 5. In this manipulation the linger 40 on the longjshackle leg moves downwardly away from the lug 69 of the control arm 65, but the control arm remains in a position obstructing the unlocking movement of the locking lever 4|, as seen in Fig. 6. The locking lever has a flat surface 1|, Fig. 1, which is engageable with the peripheries of the tumblers to prevent rotation of the locking lever when the shackle on its inward movement is forced against the latch plunger. When the shackle reaches its innermost position, the latch plunger snaps into the shackle notch 34. The inwar-d movement of the shackle is limited in any suitable manner, as by the engagement of the forked plate 39 with the curved inner wall of the lock case.

When the padlock is in locked condition, the end of the tongue 4`| 'of the locking lever 4| tends to remain in the shallow notch or recess 1U in the end of the control arm 65, thus preventing jarring or shaking of the arm out of its obstructing position. However, the control arm may move through a considerable angle and still remain in obstructing position. If at any time the tumbler 58 should be turned in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 6, the control arm 65 would also turn in the same direction, but only through a partial revolution since the arm proj ection B1 would engage the stop-forming post 23. In its stopped position, the arm would still obstruct the movement of the locking lever 4|.

In the locked position of the padlock, the tumbler notches remain in register with the tongue 4`| of the locking lever 4|, unless the knob 50 should be turned, but since the control arm 65 obstructs the movement of the locking lever, the lock can not be reopened except by working the permutation.

What we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A permutation lock comprising a lockable member, locking means for said member including a movable locking member, a rotatably adjustable tumbler for blocking the unlocking movement of said locking member and movable out of blocking position, a shiftably mounted member for obstructing the unlocking movement of said locking member, said shiftably mounted member having a driving connection with said tumbler and movable thereby out of obstructing position when said tumbler is adjusted to its unblocking position, and means controlled by themovement of said lockable member for returning said shiftably mounted member to its obstructing position.

2. A permutation lock comprising a lockable member, locking means for said member including a movable locking member, a rotatably adjustable tumbler for blocking the unlocking movement of said locking member and movable out of blocking position, a pivotally mounted member for obstructing the unlocking movement of said locking member, said pivotally mounted member having a driving connection with said tumbler and movable thereby out of obstructing position, means for limiting the angular movement of sai-d pivotally mounted member, and means controlled by the movement of said lockable member for returning said pivotally mounted member to its obstructing position. v

3. A permutation lock comprising a lockable member, locking means for said member including a movable locking member, a rotatably adjustable tumbler for blocking the unlocking movement of said locking member and movable out of blocking position, a shiftably mounted member for obstructing the unlocking movement of said locking member, said shiftably mounted member having a slipping, frictional driving connection with sai-d tumbler and movable thereby out of obstructing position when said tumbler is adjusted to its unblocking position, and means controlled by the movement of said lockable member for returning said shiftably mounted member to its obstructingposition. i

4. A permutation lock comprising a'lockable member, locking means for said member including a movable locking member, a rotatably adjustable tumbler for blocking the unlocking movement of said locking member and movable out of blocking position, a pivotally mounted member for obstructing the unlocking movement of said locking member, said pivotally mounted member having a slipping, frictional driving connection with said tumbler and movable thereby out of obstructing position, means for limiting the angular movement of said pivotally mounted member, and means controlled by the movement of said lockable member for returning said pivotally mounted member to its obstructing position.

5. A permutation lock comprising a lockable member, locking means for said member including a movable locking member, a rotatably adjustable tumbler for blocking the unlocking movement of said locking member and movable out of blocking position, a pivotally mounted member coaxial with said tumbler for obstructing the unlocking movement of said locking member, said pivotally mounted member having a slipping, frictional driving connection with said tumbler and movable thereby out of obstructing position, means for limiting the angular movement of said pivotally mounted member including a part on i said pivotally mounted member projecting beyond the periphery of the tumbler, and means controlled by the movement of said lockable member for returning said pivotally mounted member to its obstructing position.

6. A permutation lock comprising a lockable member, locking means for said member including a movable locking member, a rotatably adjustable tumbler for blocking the unlocking movement of said locking member' and movable out l of blocking position, a shiftably mounted member for obstructing the unlocking movement of said locking member, spring means for holding said shiftably mounted member in slipping, frictional driving engagement with said tumbler for movement of said shiftably mounted member out of obstructing position, and means controlled by the movement of said lockable member for returning said shiftably mounted member to its obstructing position.

7. In a permutation padlock, the combination of a shackle, shackle-locking means including a rotatably adjustable tumbler and a shiftably mounted member both movable to release said shackle, said shiftably mounted member having a frictional driving connection with said tumbler and movable thereby to shackle-releasing position when said tumbler is adjusted to shacklereleasing position, and means controlled by the movement of the shackle for returning said shift- 'ably mounted member to locking position.

8. A permutation lock comprising a lockable member, locking means for said member including ,having a peripheral notch to receive said projection in the unblocking position of sai-d tumbler, a pivotally mounted arm coaxial with said tumbler for obstructing the unlocking movement of said locking member, said arm having a frictional driving connection with said tumbler and movable thereby out of obstructing position, said arm having a laterally projecting lug and having a shallow notch at the attached end of said lug to receive the projection ofthe locking member When said arm is in obstructing position, and means controlled by said lockable member on its unlocking movement engageable With said lug to Swing said arm to its obstructing position.

9. A permutation lock comprising a lockable member, locking means for said member including a movable locking member, a rotatably adjustable tumbler for blocking the unlocking movement of said locking member, and a shiftably mounted control member having a slipping clutch connection With said tumbler to displace said control member when said tumbler is adjusted to unblocking position, said lockable member on its movement having an impelling connection With'said control member to eect reblocking of said locking member. y

10. A permutation lock comprising a lockable member, locking means for said member including a movable locking member, a rotatably adjustable tumbler for blocking the unlocking movement of said locking member, and a pivotally mounted control member coaxial with said tumbler and having a slipping clutch connection with said tumbler for effecting movement of said control member inone direction when said tumbler is adjusted to unblockng position, means for limiting the angular movement of said control member, and means controlled by the movement of said lockable member for moving said control member in the opposite direction to veffect reblocking of said locking member.

CHARLES H. SCHAMP. DANIEL J. FOOTE` ifi 

